Babylon
by pghgrl
Summary: Liam Cartwright has never really given much thought to the relationship between his mother and Cappie. Until now.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Babylon, Chapter One

**Series: **1/?

**Pairing/Characters: **Cappie/Casey, Liam/O.C., Rusty, Evan

**Rating: **PG-13 to be on the safe side.

**Summary: **(AU) Liam Cartwright has never really given much thought to the relationship between his mother and Cappie. Until now.

**Note: **This was previously posted on lj under my penname, liblyn52 about a year ago. It kept nagging me, and finally resurfaced this week. I really wanted to write a fic where Casey is pregnant, and this is what my muse responded , as another side note, I really do like Evan Chambers. Which is possibly why I made him such a douchebag.

**Spoilers: **None of Season 3 applies. Casey never got together with Max, Evan and Cappie still hate each other, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I do not own Greek in anyway. The inspiration from the opening dialogue came from mad_martha's fic _Confessions. _If you like really great Ron/Harry slashness, I suggest you head her way. And yes, I did receive her permission to go ahead with it.

**CHAPTER ONE**

"… Never in all my years as Headmaster, have I _ever _seen such complete disregard for the rules. Setting fire to the chemistry lab! You are fortunate no one was injured! I have already received calls from the school board demanding your expulsion!"

At the mention of expulsion, Liam Cartwright's eyes shot up towards the Headmaster, whose face was flushed with rage. Liam had never seen the Headmaster so angry. Not even when he had set loose the dozens of frogs waiting to be dissected, causing the Academy to close for the rest of the day. No. This was much, much worse.

"However," the Headmaster continued slowly, in an obvious attempt to calm himself, "Due to your father's generous donations over the years to the Academy, I have managed to convince them that expulsion will not be necessary. We have agreed that you will be suspended for one week, and serve detention twice a week for the remainder of the school year. In addition, your…" the Headmaster stopped briefly, his eyes darting down towards the sheet of paper in front of him. He frowned. "Your.. well… Cappie, and I have decided that it will benefit you to give back to the school seem so intent on destroying. You will spend every Saturday morning at the Academy, helping the janitorial staff clean up your mess."

"But…" Liam protested in spite of himself. "Football-"

"You have been suspended from the football team for the remainder of the season," the Headmaster informed him. He paused, for the first time appearing somewhat sympathetic. "You are fifteen years old, Liam. You are no longer a boy. I fear that I have been letting you off the hook for far too long. This is your last chance, young man. Anymore infractions and I will be forced to leave you in the hands of the school board. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Liam said softly.

The Headmaster gave him one last long, hard look. "You are dismissed."

****

Liam shivered as he stepped out onto the cobblestone steps of the Academy entrance. The harsh Chicago wind made the autumn day seem a lot colder that it actually was, and Liam suddenly wished he had listened to his mother and grabbed the jacket she had placed out for him that morning.

He quietly followed Cappie to the car, not daring to utter a word. If the Headmaster was angry with him, it was nothing compared to how Cappie had looked at him when he entered the office. And Cappie had never been angry with him before.

Liam stole a glance as he climbed into the passenger seat. Cappie was looking firmly at the road, his jaw set. After it was clear that Cappie wasn't planning on talking to him, Liam sank into the seat and turned his attention to the window.

It was true, he didn't much care for authority. Or for the elitism that the Dorchester Academy thrived on. He really didn't care that he was undoubtedly the bane of the Headmaster's existence, or that the majority of the faculty at the Academy dreaded every moment he walked into their classroom. But the thing was, for all the intentional rule-breaking acts he had committed over the years, setting fire to the chemistry lab was _not _one of them.

And now Cappie was mad at him. Cappie, who had always understood him, who never once raised his voice with him, was looking at him in such a way that it made Liam want to travel back in time and start the day over again.

They had made it all the way to the apartment before Cappie said anything at all. Liam trailed behind him, hesitating in the doorway.

"Want some pie?" Cappie said, walking into the kitchen. He pulled open the refrigerator door, sticking his head inside. "I'm craving pie."

Liam blinked, and watched, dumbfounded, as Cappie took out the leftover apple pie. He grabbed two forks, handing one to Liam, and placed the pie on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Liam tentatively approached the pie, waiting a few moments to make sure it was safe to dig in.

"I know you didn't mean to set the chemistry lab on fire," Cappie told him after they had finished the last of the pie.

Liam looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"'Come on, Liam," Cappie said. "Give me a little credit."

"Then how come your mad at me?" Liam asked softly, poking at the pie crumbs.

Cappie sighed, putting down his fork. "I'm disappointed," he said, and Liam felt the words cut through his stomach. _Disappointed. _It was a word he knew well.

"You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age," Cappie told him with a wry grin. "Your mother's afraid I've been a bad influence on you. I think she may be right."

"My mom doesn't know what she's talking about," Liam said quickly. "And, what's so wrong with being like you?"

"Lots of things, according to your mother," Cappie muttered.

"She's going to be so pissed," Liam said mournfully.

"Liam," Cappie said, shaking his head. "When she's done with you, you'll never want to step a foot out of line again."

Liam groaned. "Man, this sucks."

****

An hour in a half later, Liam was awaiting his execution in his room, half-heartedly attempting to get a head start on his pre-calc homework. From the thin walls in the apartment, he could hear the television_, _and his mind kept drifting guiltily back to Cappie's lecture.

"_You have no idea how much your mother sacrifices for you." _

Those had been the last words Cappie said before banishing Liam to his bedroom, an act Liam knew was less out of punishment and more in an attempt to soften the inevitable battle between him and his mother when she finally got home from work.

Sometimes Liam wondered why Cappie bothered to stick around at all. They weren't what anyone would consider to be the model American family, and Cappie… he wasn't even blood-related. And yet for as long as Liam could remember, Cappie had been there.

He was his uncle's old fraternity brother and best friend, and his mother's… well, Liam had absolutely no idea what his mother and Cappie were to each other.

The door slammed shut, and Liam jumped. Hastily closing his textbook, he jumped up from the chair and pressed his ear against the keyhole of his door.

"He set the chemistry lab on fire?!" his mother exclaimed furiously. "Do you have _any idea _how many calls I have received from Evan's secretary? The press is going to have a field day over this! God, _what _was he thinking?!"

Liam closed his eyes, banging his head against the door. God, he hated his father.

"'Case," Cappie said quietly. "The press isn't going to say anything," he told her calmly. "I worked things out with the Headmaster. The school will not release any details concerning the fire. They've already been in touch with Evan's campaign manager."

"I cannot _believe _he has gotten himself suspended _again_," his mother went on, undeterred. "I can't take off work to watch him --"

"I can do it," Cappie said, interrupting her. "It's not a problem, 'Case."

"They expressed concern that you were involved in the matter," his mother said, dropping her voice. "I don't… I don't know if that's such a good idea, this time."

"Of course they did," Cappie said bitterly.

Liam frowned, confused.

There was silence for a moment, and Liam pressed his ear under the doorknob, struggling to hear. The television grew louder, and he let out a frustrated groan as the door to his mother's bedroom closed shut, muffling their voices.

******

"You always do this!" Cappie exclaimed in frustration.

Casey turned towards the fridge. "Don't start," she warned him, pulling out the ground beef and slamming the freezer shut. "I'm doing the best I can, Cappie. Evan's his father. He has a say--"

"Evan doesn't give a _damn _about Liam, and you know it," Cappie said, cutting her off angrily. "When are you going to stop letting him run your life?!"

"That's not fair," Casey said, raising her voice defensively. "Evan pays _more _than required in child support... you know we need that money. He pays for Liam's tuition… Dorchester is the best school in the state. There's no way I can afford it on my own.."

"I've told you I'd help you out with that," Cappie said, his voice a little softer.

Casey's eyes softened. "Cappie…"

"I'm here, Casey. I've always been here. Haven't I proved that to you by now? You know how I feel about you. And you know I love Liam. But things are never going to change, are they?"

Liam held his breath. He waited for his mother to say something.

"I…" Casey faltered, sounding as though she may cry. "I don't want to lose you, Cappie."

Cappie sighed. "Well," he said in fake bravado. "At least I know now."

"Cap-"

"It's okay, 'Case," Cappie said, stopping her. "I get it. You don't have to say anything."

"I'm sorry," Casey said, and Liam had never heard her sound so helpless before.

Cappie gave a sad smile. "I know. Look… I'm gonna head out."

"You could stay," Casey told him quickly. "You were going to. Spaghetti night, remember? And I've got left over pie-"

She stopped short, shoulders falling. "We're gonna be okay, right?"

Liam couldn't see through the door, but he was almost positive Cappie was holding his mother's hands, like he always did when she was nervous or scared or sad.

"We're gonna be fine, 'Case," Cappie assured her. "I'm just… gonna go. For now. Wallow a bit. Find Russ and do the guy thing. Maybe a strip club. I could take Liam off your hands for a little while, if you want."

Casey punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Please. By the time that boy sees freedom again, he'll be old enough to enter one on his own. And when that day comes, I do _not _want to know about it."

Cappie laughed. "Fine, fine, fine," he said lightly. He paused, hesitating a moment. "Talk to the kid, will you 'Case? And try to go easy on him. He might surprise you."

Liam stared at the door, all thoughts of impending punishment suddenly forgotten.

***********


	2. Chapter 2 preview

**Title: **Babylon, Chapter One

**Series: **1/?

**Pairing/Characters: **Cappie/Casey, Liam/O.C., Rusty, Evan

**Rating: **PG-13 to be on the safe side.

**Summary: **

**Note: **This was previously posted on lj under my penname, liblyn52 about a year ago. It kept nagging me, and finally resurfaced this week. I really wanted to write a fic where Casey is pregnant, and this is what my muse responded , as another side note, I really do like Evan Chambers. Which is possibly why I made him such a douchebag.

**Spoilers: **None of Season 3 applies. Casey never got together with Max, Evan and Cappie still hate each other, etc.

**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I do not own Greek in anyway. The inspiration from the opening dialogue came from mad_martha's fic _Confessions. _If you like really great Ron/Harry slashness, I suggest you head her way. And yes, I did receive her permission to go ahead with it.

**Chapter Two**

"Okay," Phoebe said, slamming shut her European History textbook. "_How _is it possible for an entire army to be fooled by a wooden horse? And why do we have to read about it if it might not have even happened at all? I've already seen the movie with Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom. Achilles was hot. Paris was kind of a wimp. And men are stupid. I totally get it."

"Uh huh."

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "Wanna make out?"

Liam's neck snapped up. "_What?!_" he exclaimed, his eyes wide as he hastily crawled to the far end of the bed. "I… we… you… uh…"

"Knew that would get your attention," Phoebe smirked.

Liam glared at her. "I was listening!" he said defensively. "I was just… concentrating."

"What have I told you about lying to me?"

"It never works," Liam replied dully. He felt his heart rate return to normal and he scooted back onto the bed, making sure to maintain a far enough distance away from Phoebe, just in case.

Phoebe scooted forward on the bed, looking at him in the kind of way that made Liam wish he didn't have a girl for his best friend.

"You've been acting all weird since you set the chemistry lab on fire," she told him. "And I _know _you can't possibly still have a guilty conscience about that, so what gives?"

"I didn't _mean _to set the lab on fire," Liam exclaimed atomically. "I had no idea it would be such a huge deal. I mean, I kind of thought it might be when the fire trucks pulled up, but my mom is _still _mad at me, and now Uncle Rusty and Aunt Ashleigh are watching me, and I haven't seen Cappie in a week…"

He paused, drawing in a deep breath, focusing on the mattress stream he had been picking at. "Do you think… Cappie and my mom…"

He trailed off hopelessly.

Phoebe just started at him, amazed. "Liam…" she said slowly. "What do you know about your mother's past?"

Liam blinked. "What do you mean?"

Phoebe sighed. "Haven't you ever wondered what she was like when she growing up?"

"Well…" Liam stammered. "Not really. I mean, she never talks about my father…"

"And you never bothered to find anything out on your own?"

"Um. No," Liam said, squinting at her. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "_You _haven't been digging your nose into other people's business again, have you?"

Phoebe threw a pillow at him. "I'm a _journalist_, Liam. It's my duty to-"

"You edit the school newspaper," Liam pointed out. "That no one reads."

"_Fine_," Phoebe said sourly. "I may have done some research on your mother and Cappie."

Liam smirked. "I knew it. So, what'd ya find out?"

Phoebe hesitated. "It's complicated. You may not like it."

********


End file.
